I'm ashamed to call myself a Hoosier. Not since Indiana native and then Vice President of the United States of America Dan Quayle used fictional television character Murphy Brown as an example of the evils of single motherhood have I felt so ashamed of my Indiana roots.

Imagine a world where you could shop for medical procedures the way you shop for computers. Most likely, price is near the top of your list when you're looking for a new computer. Not so when the "product" is a hip replacement or an MRI. Generally, what the procedure costs is largely irrelevant. And doctors will make the decision about where the surgery will take place.

The University of California Student Association has approved a resolution to direct UC regents to divest financially of the governments of Brazil, Egypt, Indonesia, Israel, Mexico, Russia, Turkey, Sri Lanka and the United States. "UC students did not give consent to invest in governments engaged in violence against others," proclaimed the Resolution Toward Socially Responsible Investment at the University of California, targeting the above countries for human rights violations. The motion - which passed with nine yes votes, one no vote and five abstentions - faulted the U.S. government for conducting drone strikes abroad, as well as the nation's high ...

Millennials, born between 1980 and the mid-2000s, are the largest generation in the U.S., representing one-third of the total U.S. population in 2013. Their unprecedented enthusiasm for technology will spark change in traditional economic institutions and in the labor market. The priority that millennials place on creativity and innovation makes them an important engine for the U.S. economy for decades ahead.

Beginnings - whether it is the New Year or the new legislative session - traditionally bring a whirlwind of optimism, collegiality and excitement for the future. 2015 should be no exception. On Jan. 5, Governor Jerry Brown will be sworn in for a record 4th term and will lay out his vision for the state. Talk of common goals and working together to achieve good results are sure to be the topics of the day. I look forward to working towards making that talk a reality.